Trapped Behind the Petals
by Eclissy
Summary: Stuck in a house in white picket suburbia, nine-year old Ty has nothing much to do besides wait for her siblings to come home. She could go to school if it weren't for that disastrous theater closed that had closed five years ago across the sea and the monsters that still lurk in her head. Her beloved sister went to school but kids can be cruel but is vengeance the answer?
1. Not an Abnormal Morning

**I wrote this on my spare time. I get bored every now and then and when I don't feel inspired, my head spits things out and sometimes they're good ideas. This is supplementary reading sort of. It features my characters but it's still a fanfic for a certain game. I don't really expect anyone to read and understand it unless they've read some of my other fics and know the characters. In that case, thank you very much for reading!**

**It's a couple of years before Double Edged and expands on Ty's family relations. This is leading up to a more dynamic fic for a certain game in the future. It's not that hard to guess what it is if you're familiar with the game. It's pretty popular.**

**Not an Abnormal Morning**

I don't know much about dimensional magic. I just know that other people know how to use it so I just go with the flow.

It's pretty useful. Gotta run off for a bit? Rip a tear in reality and jump into a new adventure…

"But why does it have to be in white picket fence suburbia?" I groaned to myself, squinting from the Monday morning Sun leaking in from the window shining its harsh rays into my bleary eyes.

I glared at the window before throwing the thick covers off and slide out of bed. I drug myself towards the window next to my desk. The light shone on to the messily spread sketches of flora and fauna on the desk and scattered across the walls.

For a moment, I peered out into the street at a passing yellow school bus driving off to pick up its load of kids on the first day of school.

Scowling, I yanked the curtains closed and plunged the room back into darkness leaving only a sliver of light shining on the clothes that I prepared yesterday that were left on my desk.

They weren't for school.

I'm not allowed to go to school. Kids are supposed to start school around this place at age five. I'm nine and four years late. But I know just as much as other nine year-olds. I'm good at looking at critters and I can multiply (I have to look at my fingers every now and then but I'll grow out of that).

"I could totally go to school," I puff my cheeks up angrily and storm over to my bed, throwing myself under the covers again. "If it weren't for that dumb play that happened in the Pacific or whatever. And maybe if I wasn't sick…Heh, I don't even need to go to stupid school in this stupid town."

"Hey!" Someone started banging on the door. "Half-Pint! Aren't you going to get up? Your sister's going to school."

I sat up and sprung back out of bed to hastily throw on my clothes and gloves.

Even though I couldn't go to school, I had to look pretty and see my sis off on her first day.

"Blaire!" I shouted, bursting out of my room hoping I wasn't too late.

"Hold it, fat-head," A slender hand reached out and grabbed me by the collar, pulling me back roughly. "Shut your trap. It's too early for your yapping."

"Who are you calling fat face, fat face?" I tried to slap her away but my arms were too short.

"Is that how you're going to thank me?" The bully scooped me off of the ground from under my arms and holds me away at arms-length. "Look at yourself; you're an absolute mess! You can't see your sis off if you're looking like the shit I pull out of the shower drain."

"Rrrrrg. Li-like you're any better, Virelai. You and your butt face" I retorted lamely, kicking and punching at her, hitting the air in front of her perfect face instead.

Virelai was gorgeous; a picture of perfection. Even with an evil smirk, her sea-green eyes narrows just the right way. It makes me mad, jealous and blush all at the same time. She had probably just jumped out of bed and walked straight to my room to pick on me and somehow she still looks flawless. Her blond curly hair was free of tangles and frames her freckled face. The freckles were even sprinkled perfectly across her cheeks.

"Hurry up and get ready. Didn't you say you wanted to make breaky for Blaire?" Virelai dropped me on my backside with a thump. "Blaire wouldn't want to eat anything from something that looks like a midget Medusa. Food would probably turn the poor girl into stone too." She snickered and padded away on the hardwood floor with her slim and long legs.

"Meanie." I muttered, pushing myself back up on my stubby legs to get to the bathroom and smooth my hair down.

When I reach the tiled floors of the steamy bathroom, ignoring my father's greeting as I walk in.

"Ty! What are you doing up so early in the morning?" He asked over the sound of running water, pressing himself up against the opaque glass. "Bad girl! You're not supposed to come in to the bathroom when someone's using the shower." His laugh echoes and grates against my ears.

"Go away, dummy." I huff, pulling over the step stool to reach my toothbrush and hairbrush before slipping off my gloves.

"Tyyyyyyyy, that means I have to get out of the shower," Father complains. "Do you need help out there? Or maybe you should take a shower with me first. Your hair must be a mess."

"Gross!" I stuck my tongue out, reaching for the red tube of toothpaste. I try to squeeze out a pea sized dot of paste on my own but end up squeezing too hard again. It gets all over my hands and on the bathroom counter. Frustrated, I turn the tap on and stick my hands under the water.

"Tyyyyyyy, turn the tap off. I'm going to get boiled alive if you keep that on."

Just to spite him, I turned the tap to the highest setting and flushed the toilet nearby.

"That's mean, Ty!" Father exclaims but failed in hiding his laughing.

"Serves you right!" I giggled with the toothbrush hanging out of my mouth as I try to brush the knots out of my hair. The toothpaste was too spicy and it hurt when I tug at my knots but I still laugh.

Once I finished and looked somewhat decent, I put my gloves back on and ran out of the bathroom and skip down the stairs. Music was playing from the bright kitchen and as I got closer, the French lyrics of a new and old song danced its way into my ears.

"La mer. Qu'on von danser le long golfes claire, a des reflets dargent." The violins in the background played to the beat of the far away waves of the sea. Their notes flowed over the sunlit flowery wall paper and potted flowering houseplants decorating the room.

"Just in time," My brother, Eric, puts his newspaper down on the dining table, knocking over his mug of coffee. "Whoopsie," The cup freezes midway on its way to the floor, sloshing the coffee over the tiles and Eric's shoes. "I put the tools out on the counter for you," He told me, sighing at the splattered brown sticky liquid spreading over the floor as he picked the cup back up.

"Is Blaire up yet?" I grabbed a small plastic purple footstool from the side of the whirring fridge.

"She should be down soon. Probably putting some clothes on." Eric checked over his white dress shirt and tie for any stains. "You still have time. Also, good morning."

"Morning Eric," I pull the fridge open with some difficulty, stumbling back when it gives way. The eggs, milk and blueberries were had been placed on the lowest shelf for me last night.

On the carton of eggs was a note.

_Please forgive me. Work got in the way so I can't have breakfast with you or Blaire. Eric and Domenico are home though. Make good pancakes for Blaire for her first day of school. It'll be your turn soon. Once we move down there away from the petty grudges of the parasites and when you get better, you'll get to go to school with Blaire. You've been making such good progress. Keep up the good work!_

-John

_PS. Maybe just hold back a little more on the berries._

I fold the note neatly and put it away in the pocket of my navy blue skirt. I was going to put it away with the rest of John's notes to me.

"Need help, Ty?" Eric asked, smiling behind the newspaper. His blue eyes glinted as he smoothed his blond hair back and plops his hat on, all ready for today's work. The spilt coffee levitated off the ground and floated into the sink.

"Nope! I practiced lots for this so I'll be fine." I grabbed two eggs, one in each of my hands and run to the stool to jump up and place them in a green mixing bowl.

"Ces oiseaux blanc," The record player sung from the windowsill as I run back to the fridge to heft the heavy milk bottle up. I was feeling gutsy so I thought that maybe I could pick the carton of blueberries up. "Et ces maisonm" the record sings just as the carton slips out of my hands along with the bottle.

"Not so fast!" Eric opened his palm and the bottle and scattered berries stop in mid-air, hovering just above my toes. Without even looking, Eric moves them through the air and lowers them on the counter.

"I could have done that," I stare down at my bare feet, stepping one on the other.

"Of course," Eric hummed contently to the music, reading another article on the disappeared people. "I'll leave the rest in your capable hands." He nodded his head along with the song as he flips the page of the paper to another crisis.

"Why so late this morning? No new cases?" I stepped up on the stool and pull the mixing bowl towards me. The eggs roll around in the bowl and with careful hand, I slide a box of pancake mix closer to the bowl.

"Just the usual. Missing people and all that. That place is almost finished so I guess there'll be a big rash of disappearances. We should head down there soon." Eric stood, making his way to the front door and ducked under some hanging plants. "I'm going to check on the mail. Be right back."

"Kay." I replied, carefully pouring pancake mix into a measuring cup.

I had been practicing for weeks in secret to make the greatest most tastiest breakfast for Blaire before she left for school. In pursuit of the perfectest blueberry pancake, I had almost murdered both Eric and John with my test cakes, tearing their throats with eggshells, soiling their guts with half-cooked batter and nearly impaling them with flying forks but it was all going to be worth it.

I had it down to an art.

"Better hurry, half-pint," Virelai sneered, making me spill the mix from surprise. She stood at the doorway, leaning on the door frame as she checked her nails. "I can hear Blaire walking down the stairs." She said in a mocking tone.

Virelai's voice makes me panic and I dump the pancake mix into the bowl till the box was empty. I smash the eggs against the bowl, letting slime and shells fly everywhere. Everything becomes a whirl of powder, broken eggs, milk and partially frozen berries.

Before I could stop myself and calm down to fix the mess, I had already dumped the bowl into the pan on the stove that Eric preheated for me.

"What the hell? I fucking blinked and then this happened" Virelai laughed, clutching her stomach.

"Vierlai! Shut up!" I shouted, absolutely panicked. I turned the heat up high and the mixture bubbled and splattered on the stove top. That's okay. I can clean the mess up later. I just need to cook this faster.

"Maybe if I stir it enough," I grabbed the nearby wooden spoon and stirred the scorched mix around in the pan. Smoke started to rise as the song repeated.

"Good morning." A sweeter voice floated into the kitchen. Blaire walked in dressed in clothes that father must have laid out for her. They were the first actually comfortable looking outside clothes she's worn in years.

"Blaire! Are you hungry?" I forced a smile, holding up the dripping plastic spatula. "It won't take long to fix this. Just give me a few minutes. And wow! You look really nice today. Even though you had to dye your hair blond, you look really-"

"I do not feel hungry. Goodbye." She walked through the kitchen, past the table, under the potted plants and into the hall towards the front door. I heard the casual opening and closing of the door that might as well have slammed on my fingers.

"Good…" I finished my sentence, dropping the spatula into the festering pan.

Envelopes glide through the open window over the record player and land on the table.

"I put the mail on the table!" Eric shouted from the driveway as he climbed into his car. A white cloud shot into the sky from the front door and disappears over the houses across the street. "Was that Blaire? She shouldn't be doing that here!"

"You shouldn't be throwing things around with your mind either!" I shouted back at the top of my lungs, jumping off the stool and stomping over to the table to pout.

"Um, alright then. I'm going to work now. See you when I get home?"

"Just go already!" Everything was gaudy and annoying now. Eric's voice was getting on my nerves, the kitchen was too bright and colorful with its tacky wall paper and it was overcrowded with plants. The record got stuck and now the French man was stuttering over how the sea had rocked his heart for life. It was all stupid.

"Uh sure. See you later, Ty," I could see him slowly getting into the car and backing out. The car was crawling down the road like a snail and Eric was staring intently through the window at me. I folded my arms over the table and laid my head on them to hide my face.

"Hey, you shouldn't talk to your brother like that, pipsqueak," Virelai scolded me, voice sharp and jagged as a rusty nail. "And be careful in the kitchen. You're going to burn the entire house down." She switched off the stove and stared at the half-cooked muck in the pan. "What are you going to do with this crap?"

"Don't care." I crossed my arms, biting down on my cheek and swallowing.

"Good morning everyone," Father waltzed into the kitchen, unaware of the tense mood. "I gotta go out today so enjoy your…" The air-headed idiot finally noticed that something was off and I felt a hand gently touch my shoulder. "I see that Blaire ran off early. You want me to stick around for a while."

"No." I answered, voice muffled by my arms. My eyes were hurting and I didn't want anyone to see.

"Okay. I'll be back home around six. Blaire'll come back home earlier," Father paused, glancing around the room. "Lyla and Virelai are sticking around so I hope you won't be lonely. You sure it's okay for me to leave? I could sit and talk with you for a while."

"The flowers here are stupid." I muttered, peaking out at him. I couldn't see him well. My sight became blurry.

"Hmmm?" I could vaguely see him kneel down next to me and tip his head to the side. "I suppose there are a lot of them. There aren't many outside though. Why not go relax in the garden for a bit. Maybe put some of the plants into the ground. Set them free."

"They aren't fish or birds y'know. They don't' move very fast." I hiccupped, sitting up straight and wiping my eyes.

"Of course they aren't," Father clapped his hands together and laughs. "But I think they'll like it better if you give them more space to grow. On that topic, do you need space?"

"Maybe…" I sniffed, pushing myself off the chair. The diagrams of a city with tubes connecting the buildings get ruffled on the table by my movements and some little sketches of fish swimming around the domed park had become soggy.

"The grass outside should be warm now and there are a lot of empty places in the soil to plant in. If you run out, Eric'll get you more seeds. Whatever you want. Right Eric?" Father glances out the window and Eric, who was still inching down the road nodded and floored it. He was gone in seconds.

"I'll see you soon, dear." Father messed my hair up. "You-" He mouthed to Virelai. "You're doing that thing again." He winks and disappeared into thin air. The space where he stood rippled for a moment before it all became still.

The music stopped and I rubbed my eyes again with my fists.

"Hey, pi- ehem…you. Aren't you going to clean that mess up and eat something?" Virelai, who I had almost forgotten about, stands by the stove and frowns. "Uh, you could start over?" She suggested, gesturing to the mush and it seemed like she was asking herself the question.

"No. It was your fault that I messed up. You clean it up," I turned my nose up at her. I was expecting her to call me names and make me come back but I heard nothing. "Besides, no one wants to eat what I make anyway." I added on under my breath and left the kitchen.

Once I was outside in the backyard with my gloves and shovel, loud gagging sounds coming from the kitchen window started up.

"Oh god. Oh god, it's terrible," Someone chokes in a high pitched voice. I heard feet running across the hall into the bathroom and a few seconds later, they returned to the kitchen.

"Oh god, it's still awful!" The person gagged.

"What the heck is going on?" I pursed my lips and squinted at the window "Hmph, probably nothing." I shrugged and got on my knees to dig a hole in the dirt.

The gagging and running went on for an hour after that but I didn't really pay attention.

I wondered how long it was going to be before Blaire was gets back.

Turns out, not very long.

* * *

**_A word from John. Elder brother of Ty, Eric and Blaire._**

_As I write this note, Ty has come back from her episode of sorts. Though I am pleased with the fact that we ended up here instead of some other back water dimension, I worry for both Lyla and Ty. Lyla is exhausted from transporting us here and I fear her health will deteriorate further if she uses her power again. Ty also; her sickness is most vexing. It pains me to know that she could never directly touch another with her hands. The time between episodes has increased and perhaps it is because she has come to terms with Beathan. But now that she is stuck in our temporary house, I fear that it will erase all the progress that she has achieved. Three more months. Just three more months and all of us can move down to that city of opportunity. Some of us are already down there. Eric, Blaire and Virelai are with them. I am away most hours of the day and their presence is most welcome. Once I've wrapped up our business on the surface, we'll move._

_ Blaire is going to school now as well. I am glad but I fear for her as well. With much convincing, she has finally decided to go outside. If only that terrible theater had never happened, then all of them would be free to be mostly themselves._

* * *

**Yo, I also put this out here because I haven't been updating a lot. School's started so I can't get much done. Truly sorry about that. *Bows head sadly***

**But hey, I made up an RP blog for Ty recently on Tumblr for practice with the character. You'd think that because I made my characters up, I'd be good at writing them. Well *Pained Laughter* maybe it's just me. But it's been fun using it. If you want to check it out, I'll put the link on my profile~**

**Thanks for reading.**

**PS. DE and Tiger/Dragon are still coming along and Crossed has chapters completed but I want to space out the chapters. I'm just going to be slower.**

***Edit: Added an extra little note that I decided would fit better here than at the beginning of the next chapter.**


	2. Forgiveness is an Actual Thing?

**Hello once again~ This second chapter's coming out faster since I was feeling in a good mood to do it. My other stuff's inching along. (To be honest, I have a lot of stuff rotting away in my fanfic folders. I just don't think they're good enough to be put out). I'll work hard on them I promise.**

**Kaiban: How did you know I had a chart in my room? Kidding! But you were close. I have a notebook with sections for my characters and storylines for different fandoms in there. I scribble in it during class and other boring times. Sometimes I jump up in the middle of the night to fill it. And I think I did mention it subtly that Virelai was a girl. She's much older than Ty though. I won't say by how much, not that it matters. I'm really glad you like the dynamic I wrote between my characters. There are more of them to be sure and I really wanted to write about them. This story isn't completely important but some supplementary info and lead up to another big fic I'm planning to put up soon. As for what fandom that's in, that might come apparent soon. But there's no hurry. Thanks again for being such a wonderful reader and reviewer. I always look forward to your feedback 3.**

**And someone has just recently asked me what the "play in the pacific theater" was referring to. So I'll just say that terrible 'play' ended in 1945 and that this story is set five years after. It doesn't play much of an important role in the plot of this ficlet. It just also happens to be the reason why Ty can't go outside as freely as she could usually.**

**I also added an extra note at the end of the first chapter that I found would fit better than here. There'll be side notes at the end of each chapter.**

**Forgiveness is a an Actual Thing?**

I actually don't like gardening that much.

I'm bad at arranging the flowers and I always overwater the plants. If they do grow and bloom, my flowers will always be a shade darker than when someone else gardens. No one ever understood why that happened.

Even my big brother John has no idea why that is and he knows everything!

"It's probably because I'm sick," I sighed glumly at the ugly piles and lumps of dirt and roots, brushing the sweat from my brow with a grimy gloved wrist. But even though I know I'm going to suck and the flowers are going to grow dark and malformed, I try anyway because of the off chance that I get it right.

I can also remember the times when I was even tinier than now. Back in the days where I actually enjoyed living in a rural and overgrown world where the only twinkling lights at night hung in the sky; back when I would fall asleep in overgrown grass and wake up in a bed of flowers and hear his voice.

Beathan

The violets, asters, salvia, yellow chrysanthemums, heliotrope and cardamoms were usually the ones he'd grow for me. No matter what, I'd wake up to the brightness and color of the blooming petals and hear him laughing. Sometimes I'd be stuck in them with him for hours, tangled in vines and the blooming blossoms.

Then Eric would find me, get really upset, yell at him and tug me out. I wasn't really sure why he'd get so mad.

Those flowers made me really happy and the ones I grow now make me feel disappointed in myself. They're all over the garden. They line the fences, lie crowded in the beds of soil and climb up the tree in the corner of the yard.

They also remind me that I'm still sick and that I won't be able to see Beathan again.

Gardening helps me take my mind off things and remember pleasant times but sometimes I feel like I get trapped into those thoughts. I still can't believe so much time had passed. Sometimes I even wake up surrounded by my flowers thinking that I'm still back there.

"Good morning. Out tending our garden?" A soft and sleepy voice yawned as the sun's harsh rays are blocked by the shade of a lacey parasol. The silky cloth of a nightgown brushed against my back and an even smoother hand rested its palm on my tangled mess off hair.

"Mother? But it's already the afternoon, lazybones!" I giggled, turning my head up to smile at my mother.

Lyla isn't my birth mom, but she was still my mother nonetheless. She even resembles me more than my mom. Her black hair was much longer than mine and today she had forgotten to tie it up in a bun. Her face was much more angular than mine though and she exuded an aura of elegance and power. Of all of the others who lived in my family, she was one of the strongest. The only person who could hold even a candle to her was either Domenico, my father, or Arisa.

"Is it really?" She stifled a laugh with the puffy sleeve of her nightgown. "Well, I don't mind being lazy," She plopped down next to me and leans her head on my shoulder. "Not when we're stuck in this house. We can do whatever we want in here." She yawns again sleepily. "Hm, I guess everything but leave."

"You can. I can't."

"You know I'm just as trapped here as you are and this time, it isn't because I'm a little sluggish either," Lyla pinched my cheek and gazed at me with lazy narrowed eyes. She brushed a strand of black hair out of her eyes, revealing their milky whiteness. "If people see this, they'll scream just as loud as when you-" She coughed loudly and the shadows around the garden flicker. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up. Drat, I just did it again, didn't I?" She coughed, her chest heaving.

"It's okay," I kept myself from frowning in worry. Lyla was the strongest but even the mightiest of giants need rest sometimes. Especially after the terrible ordeal she went through to bring us here and escape. "I think things are getting brighter."

"Really?" Mother splayed her open hand on to the grass shaded by our shadows. She traces letters in the grass with her fingers.

_Is it still speaking?_

I shook my head. It's only been a few days since my last outburst. I had been feeling quite good for those past few days so it might be another week before it happens again.

"What are those?" Mother examined the piles of dirt. "New seeds?"

"Blue Salvia," I breathed out heavily, slumping my shoulders. "Eric and John say that the Summer is longer here but is September too late?"

"Autumn is coming quite soon. Maybe start planting…bulbs?" Mother suggested, glancing quickly at a note she had in her nightgown pocket.

"I think I'm still stuck in the Summer." I sit back, hugging my legs. "I don't think I should plant anymore. I make the entire garden look ugly." I leered at my wilting and gloomy flowers. They weren't dark enough to look black and dead. They were just dark enough to look sad.

"That isn't true," Mother soothed my back. "The garden is beautiful. When I look out the window and see you here taking care of them, I get motivated enough to walk down the stairs and come outside. Even the apocalypse won't do that."

"Liar," I snickered but I really did hope she was lying. "How do you feel?"

"It's warm today," She placed the parasol down on the grass to bask in the sun. "I want to sit and lounge with you and the flowers here. But it would be nice to have some sweets and some tea."

"Maybe we can get Virelai to bring some out?" I leaned against Mother's shoulder. "But you have to ask her. She might poison me if she doesn't know that you're going to have some too."

"Poison you? Are you sure you didn't poison her?" She stifled a cough. "I passed by her on my way out here. She was running back and forth between the kitchen and the bathroom. She was eating this horrid soup and ran to the bathroom and get sick in the toilet. I asked her if she was trying to throw the soup away with her stomach and if she actually was, I told her that maybe just dumping it in the trash would be easier. Then she told me that the soup wasn't trash. I wonder what that's about?"

"Weirdo," What the heck is Virelai doing in there? "I guess that means we have to go get food ourselves."

"Do we have to? The kitchen is so far away," Mother complained, splaying herself on the grass. The kitchen wasn't even thirty seconds away. "I'm just going to starve then." She concluded, closing her eyes.

"Fine, I guess I have to go." I stretched my arms and stood up.

"There's ice tea in the fridge that Eric made last night," Mother rolled on her side and curled up. "Get some cookies too. And a nice blanket too."

"I can't carry them all out here by-myself!"

"I believe in your strength. Take a few trips back and forth if you want. Or you can ask Virelai to help you?" Mother coughed again to cover a smirk.

"I can do it myself!" I huffed, taking off my gardening gloves and letting them drop on the soil. I kicked off my sandals and run to the kitchen.

"Why is it turning blue?" I heard Virelai cry from the bathroom upstairs and passed by the downstairs bathroom. A crumpled hastily written note was stuck to the door.

"_Whatever happens, do not enter!" _it said. Yikes.

Ignoring the urge to peek through the door, I sneak to the kitchen.

The kitchen wasn't as messy as I had left it. The stove was clean, the tables were wiped and some of the hanging plants had been moved out. Even the sketches that Eric left on the table had been stacked and organized. There was only a dirty empty plate left on the kitchen counter next to the metal sink.

Virelai must have decided to clean it probably thinking that it was too much trouble to make me clean my mess. I felt guilty for only a second.

I tugged the fridge back open and find that the pitcher of tea was on a high shelf. For some reason, even though I knew I was too short, I reach out towards the pitcher anyway. My arms don't even make it halfway.

The pitcher leapt off of the shelf and floated down gently into my arms. I almost screamed.

"Ty, I'm back," Eric grabbed my shoulders from behind, startling me enough to launch the pitcher into the air. "Going to get some snackies for mother? Wonderful, I'll join you." He opened his palm and the pink liquid and pitcher levitate in the air. The tea slides back into its container and plates fly out from the opened cupboards as a colorful folded blanket was summoned from the living room.

"What are you doing back so early?" I hugged him around his waist and look up at him. "Not that I'm not happy to see you but you work late don't you? Is there nothing to do at the station?" I tipped my head to the side and brought a gloved finger to my lips, mirroring the girls I saw on the black and white tv commercials.

"I decided to skip. Called in sick. Went to a cute flower shop on a nice street and bought some food for you guys stuck at home," Eric held up a pink take out box that smelled sweet and delicious. "Feeling better?"

Remembering how his morning went, I buried my face into his stomach and hugged him tight.

"Hey, it's no problem," he laughed, sending the floating food, plates and blanket outside to Mother. "Up we go," He hefted me up into his arms and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing my face against his shoulder. "Gosh, you're such a cutie."

"Eric. You're back," Virelai stumbled into the kitchen, her cheeks a tad on the green side. "What are you doing here so early?" She leaned on to a chair at the table for support, eyeing me with derision.

"What's with that look you're giving me?" Eric smiled like he had made some sort of secret joke. He held me up into the air and I giggled with glee. "Me and my cutest little _nine year-old_ sister are just saying hi." Eric nuzzled my hair.

"What are you doing here so early?" Virelai repeated herself, crossing her arms.

"If you didn't notice this morning, no one's been having a particularly good day so I decided to make on. When Blaire gets home, it'll become a party."

"Eric," I gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you." I covered my face quickly, hiding my embarrassment.

"Too cute!" He jumped up and down. "My sister's the cutest!"

"Oi, quit it," Virelai scowled at us. What a sourpuss.

Immediately, Eric stopped. His eyes widened and he scans the room.

"Stop right there!" He shouted, zeroing in on a vent near the floor. Eric's pupil's dilated and all the doors and windows in the house slam closed. The air in the room swirled and white vapor is pulled into the room by Eric's power.

"Blaire, show me what happened! Stop hiding!" Eric closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, trying to get the air under control.

Virelai struggled to stand and holds on to the chair and table to keep from flying off. I dug my fingers into Eric's shoulders and yelled but it gets lost in the roar of the wind.

And just like that, it died. Blaire materialized from the wind, letting her form stabilize from her feet up.

She got rid of the blond hair dye from her elemental shifting. Her white hair fell around her shoulders and her eyes flashed silver. One of them did. The other was obscured by puffy bruised skin.

"Excuse me for disturbing you all," Blaire said with no emotion. "I was feeling under the weather today at school. They told me to go home."

"Who did this?" Eric set me down and I ran up to Blaire and clasped her cold fingers between mine. "I'll kill them! I'll rip their guts out and feed it to their grandparents!"

"Whoa there! Slow down Ty," Eric knelt to get on level with Blaire and I. He scrutinized Blaire's black eye and rubbed his chin. "No need to keep secrets. Tell me what happened and we'll handle this."

"Blaire! What happened?"

"Ty, back off will you. Give her some space!" Virelai yanked me away.

"Ow!" I tripped backwards, losing my footing. Eric snapped his fingers and I get ripped out of Virelai's hands, drifting up into air out of her reach.

"Eric! Put her down!" Virelai jumped after me but fell short by an inch.

"Just tell me. There's no need to worry." Eric smiled, ignoring Virelai completely. He waved his hand and I spiral closer to Blaire and him, hanging just above them. Virelai was pushed out of the room into the hall by Eric's psychic force.

"…My accent slipped," Blaire whispered, barely letting out a breath. "One of my classmates heard me and cornered me in the hall. I told a teacher and he told the teacher what he heard…" Blaire trailed off, grasping her wrist and looking away. "Then I went home."

"So it's a boy," Eric nodded, rubbing his hands together. "That'll need some ice." He motioned to his eye and Blaire covers up the wound.

"It's fine. I'll use magic to heal it later." Blaire stated, bowing her head.

"Huh? I'm sorry that it hurts but healing it too quickly will make the others suspicious. We'll bandage it up and you can go back to school." Eric promised.

"I'm not going back." Blaire concluded, making to leave for the stairs.

"Wait! Blaire! You can't just let this-" I waved my arms around to get myself to her but she had already slammed the door behind her. "Stop you from going out..."

This was supposed to be a happy day.

"Eric! Let me go and talk to this guy!" I curled my hands into fists and clenched my teeth together. "I'll talk to him with the help of my two bestest friends, left and right fist." I punched at the air, driving my point.

"Eric? What happened?" Lyla opened the door. Virelai stood behind her, watching Eric warily. "I heard that Blaire was home."

"Mother dear," Eric walked over and embraced our mother. Virelai rolled her eyes with a long suffering sigh. "Blaire had a bad day today. When I get back, I'll try to convince her to come out. Please don't worry. I'll take care of everything. And Ty?" He lowered me down to the ground. "Why don't you and mom go outside to have some tea? Maybe try to get Blaire out? I'm going to go out for a bit."

"Take me with you!" I plead, clutching the cloth of his pants. "We have to get back at that jerk for what he did to Blaire!"

"Ty," he turned back to me, still holding mother close. "I know you really want to hurt this kid and believe me, I want to too but you can't go out. You know that." He explained apologetically.

"But Eric-"

"Don't worry, Ty. I'm going to have a word with Blaire's teacher and that boy. I'll take care of everything the right way," Eric releases mother and stepped past me, briefly patting my head. "I'll be home before you know it." I could hear the smile in his voice but there was something else about it that made me shudder.

Virelai moved in front of me, putting herself between Eric and I. Her shoulders shook and she pushed me back slightly like she was afraid that I might run after him.

Eric whistled as he left the house and I heard him whistle as he climbed into his car and drove out. The sound was almost as loud as my pounding heart.

"Let's go pip-squeak," Virelai swallowed and made a crooked and trembling smile at me. "Let Eric handle things. We'll go outside and sit."

"Don't worry about your brother," Mother ran her fingers through my hair comfortingly. "He knows what he's doing."

* * *

**An old note from Eric, elder brother of Ty and Blaire and younger brother of John, to Beathan.**

_I'm no fool, Beathan. Don't you dare think I'm clueless to what you're doing. Violets and Asters. Devotion and Love. That's cute. Red Salvia and Yellow Chrysanthemum. Forever Mine and Secret Admirer. You're pushing it. Heliotrope and Cardamom. Eternal Love and Lust. You're lucky no one's noticed yet but if I see you trying to charm her again, I will drown you in a vat of acid. You aren't taking advantage of my siblings. None of them, you hear? I'm not joking. That vat's seen a lot of action. I also saw your little gift of frozen hydrangeas in the toilet the other day. Ha, I'd laugh at your attempts but they're so sad I might actually vomit. _

_Sincerely, the guy who is seven year-old Ty's older and very pissed off bro. _

_PS, I can crush you with the flick of my finger but then again, anyone could do that, you sparkly piece of shit._

* * *

**Author Notes: More family interactions. This is leading up to a main thing I swear. **

**There's a lot of focus put on Eric this time around. Eric's my favourite btw. Have I said that before? I probably have.**

**Eric and Virelai don't get along much. Notice the emphasis he puts on Ty's age. He loves his family to bits but he's usually more reasonable then them. Usually.**

**Lyla shows up here as well. She was mentioned briefly in DE but not much was said about her. She isn't very unhealthy here. She's mostly just lazy. Like Ty, she can't walk out of the house freely. Everyone's too worried to let them out of the house due to the world's social conditions and Ty and Lyla's own conditions.**

**We hear about Beathan mostly from Ty's perspective. Hardly from anyone else's. I haven't actually wrote about what he looks like yet. I wonder what you all think he looks like.**_  
_

**But that's all for now. It's fun to write this and it churns my creative juices. Wow that's a strange way to say that.**

**Thank you for reading~**


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